Classroom Victories

[OneMoreYear]

Puget, that is very cool, and I'm glad nonsensical asked about it, even though it was from "Before Times." Is the child a virtual simulation or a written case? I'd love to do something like this the next time I teach development, but I'm teaching it as a compressed class (5 weeks--development across the lifespan), so I don't think I'd attempt. When you say "roll," are these virtual dice? Also, love the cumulative map idea. Must not spend time revamping class . . .

Why thank you.

No avatars -- I'm not that fancy. I simply wrote options down in a spreadsheet and then added theirs in class. These were not involved storylines (though the students came up with some during discussions), just things along the line of "dopamine system under-reactive to reward" or "participated in preschool enrichment program" that were directly tied to the topic for that week.

When we were together in the classroom I had big foam dice for them to roll, which made it fun and playful. Once we moved online I used a random number generator, which was not as much fun.

I wish you strength in resisting revamping your course.

Sounds like a potentially fun D&D campaign.

I'm not totally sure if you are serious, but that sounds fun.  I do have a grad student who might be interested in helping me make that happen. Demonstrating Development in D& D format? Wonder what my chair would think? How many complaints would I get? Crap, now I'm down a rabbit hole because there is a website about using D&D in teaching.

[fishbrains]

One of our best adjuncts finally (we've been nagging her for over two years now) applied to grad school (our dev. writing adjuncts don't need the MA), and I had the privilege of completing a recommendation form for her application. She's even headed in a direction where she should be able to find a job easily with the degree.

It's certainly rewarding to help new adjunct instructors learn the ropes (part of my job), but there's something special about helping an instructor work through the hard semesters to persevere and develop into a total teaching and personal badass--and then turning them loose. So excited for her.

I know some of you 4-year folks are probably yawning here; but at the CC level, this isn't something we get to do very often.

[OneMoreYear]

but there's something special about helping an instructor work through the hard semesters to persevere and develop into a total teaching and personal badass--and then turning them loose. So excited for her.

This is exciting fishbrains, no matter what kind of higher education setting one is working in.  Congrats to your adjunct and best of luck to her!  May she impart her badassness on students for years to come.

[Parasaurolophus]

On a recent quiz, I had students formulate their own versions of a Gettier case. The vast majority of the answers were really good and imaginative, and indicated that they totally got that week's material.

Now, if only I could replicate whatever it was that I did, teaching-wise, for the other 12 weeks.

[reverist]

On a recent quiz, I had students formulate their own versions of a Gettier case. The vast majority of the answers were really good and imaginative, and indicated that they totally got that week's material.

Now, if only I could replicate whatever it was that I did, teaching-wise, for the other 12 weeks.

Suppose Para has 12 weeks of teaching. Jane doesn't know this, but says 'The prof with 12 weeks of teaching is my favorite.' . . . :D

In all seriousness, congrats! That's really rewarding when a key topic in the course is grasped well by the class.

[Parasaurolophus]

On a recent quiz, I had students formulate their own versions of a Gettier case. The vast majority of the answers were really good and imaginative, and indicated that they totally got that week's material.

Now, if only I could replicate whatever it was that I did, teaching-wise, for the other 12 weeks.

Suppose Para has 12 weeks of teaching. Jane doesn't know this, but says 'The prof with 12 weeks of teaching is my favorite.' . . . :D

Bwahahaha, well done! Full marks!

[Parasaurolophus]

This is the same class that pwned Gettier cases earlier in the semester:

Bizarrely, they really struggled with reading Linda Nochlin's Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists? several weeks ago. But I'm grading last week's quiz today, and they totally killed it with Simone de Beauvoir. And IMO that's a much harder reading. Well done!

[fishbrains]

In a class-meeting for a hybrid course:

Student: "I bet you're one of those professors who'd teach swimming by throwing all the little kids into the deep end of the pool."

Me: "No, that's how I'd teach CPR."

The joke killed! And the class needed the laugh. I usually don't come up with my witty comebacks until I'm driving home.

[Liquidambar]

I spent longer than I should have writing a simulation for students to run.  It illustrated some concepts we've been studying, and it even had nice color coding of results.

Me:  After you finish playing with the simulation, you're free to leave.  I didn't prepare anything else for you today.

Student (not at all sarcastically--he was having a great time):  You've prepared plenty for us.

[apl68]

I spent longer than I should have writing a simulation for students to run.  It illustrated some concepts we've been studying, and it even had nice color coding of results.

Me:  After you finish playing with the simulation, you're free to leave.  I didn't prepare anything else for you today.

Student (not at all sarcastically--he was having a great time):  You've prepared plenty for us.

Congratulations on creating something that engaged students so well, and on having the appreciate it.

[OneMoreYear]

While my summer semester has generally been a train wreck, today's assignment grading has been fun. Because we're talking about stress responses in class, I changed the originally scheduled homework assignment to an assignment for them to submit a self-care activity that will then be shared with the class. Basically, they get full credit if they submit a self-care activity by the deadline and the activity is legal (so far, no submissions of illegal activity suggestions). Some have been really creative, and I've now got a list of fun, relaxing activities. I'm counting this as a victory as they have been far and few between this summer.

[Parasaurolophus]

It seems I was nominated for a teaching award again (I didn't get it, however, and rightly so). But that's the not the victory; this excerpt from the nomination letter is:

Going into a first year critical thinking class and learning it would be formal logic, I was terrified. I've struggled with math and that kind of logical thinking before so I was absolutely a nervous wreck. After starting this course  Parasaurolophus has made me understand logic in a completely new way and has supported me throughout my learning journey.[...] I'm now excelling at logic and have a newfound confidence which has not only helped me in this course but in all of my other ones as well.

[mamselle]

Yippee!

But I'm not actually surprised.

M

[cathwen]

What a wonderful testimonial!  Congratulations on an obviously well-deserved nomination, Parasaurolophus! 

[apl68]

It's great to have a student who has become a real success like that.